The NHK Symphony Orchestra marks its 85th anniversary in 2011. On this occasion, the NSO would like to reaffirm its commitment to offering concerts of the highest quality that will delight our audiences. We are confident that the new season will bring you much joy and excitement.

The 2011/12 season of the NSO has its usual lineup of high profile conductors. Honorary Conductor Herbert Blomstedt kicks off the new season in September, while Principal Guest Conductor André Previn and Music Director Emeritus Charles Dutoit will appear in October and December, respectively. All have been closely associated with the NSO over the years.

Herbert Blomstedt will take up famed works including Dvořák Symphony No.9 and Schubert Symphony No.7 "Unfinished", while André Previn will conduct two great masterpieces, Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem and Messiaen Turangalîla-symphonie. Charles Dutoit's Bartók Herzog Blaubarts Burg, opera also promises to entice the audience. The orchestra will be guided by an impressive array of world famous conductors, including Conductor Laureate Vladimir Ashkenazy, Permanent Conductor Tadaaki Otaka, veteran conductors Jiří Kout and Leonard Slatkin, as well as Bertrand de Billy and Gianandrea Noseda, two individuals who are gaining a lot of attention around the world, and Roger Norrington, who continues to enchant audiences with his innovative music renditions.

The Mahler series was started in 2010 to mark the 150th year of the composer's birth and the 100th year of his death. This year his 4th and 10th Symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde will be taken up in November, with Symphony No.8 Sinfonie der Tausend to be performed in December. Symphony No. 8 requires eight soloists and a large chorus. The NSO is pleased to offer it for the first time in 20 years.

Roger Norrington's Beethoven series which started last season will be held in April, followed by Jun Märkl, who has enthusiastically presented French works in recent years. He will take up Debussy in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth in 2012.

A wide variety of soloists known for their own style ranging from veterans to upand- comers are sure to delight audiences, including renowned pianists such as Garrick Ohlsson, Leif Ove Andsnes, Nikolai Lugansky, Martin Helmchen and Hisako Kawamura, as well as violinists such as Leonidas Kavakos, Lisa Batiashvili, Nadja Salerno- Sonnenberg and Isabelle Faust. Cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras and Enrico Dindo, and hornist Radek Baborák will also make guest appearances along with singers who are now actively performing in major opera house around the world.

One of the great maestros, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, will be back to perform the annual year-end concerts of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, his first appearance with the orchestra in more than 10 years. Just as he did in 2000, we expect him to thrill his audiences all over again. Other special concerts include 'Music Tomorrow' and the NSO Summer Concert, as well as the N-kyo Hotto Concert.

We hope you enjoy the 2011/12 season of the NHK Symphony Orchestra.